portsmouth & winchester - anglican church school inspections from april 20131 the revised...

Portsmouth & Winchester - Anglican Church School Inspections from April 2013 1

The Revised Evaluation ScheduleThe Portsmouth and Winchester Diocesan Education Team


Introduction to the day

The purpose of the training is to help school leaders to:

understand the principles that underpin the new evaluation schedule

understand the structure of the schedule

gain confidence in preparing the school for SIAMS inspection

know where to obtain all relevant support materials

www.portsmouth.anglican.org/what_we_do/education/

www.churchofengland.org/education/national-society/inspecting-our-schools.aspx


What stays the same - 1• Governors are responsible for ‘securing’ a SIAMS

inspection• In:

• Voluntary Aided Schools it is the Governing Body as a whole

• Voluntary Controlled School it is the Foundation Governors only

• after consultation with the DioceseEducation Act 2005• “It is the duty of the governing body of any voluntary or foundation school . . . to

secure that any denominational education to pupils and the content of the school’s collective worship are inspected . .”

• “It is the general duty of a person conducting an inspection under this section:•to report on the quality of the denominational education provided by the school for any pupils to whom denominational education is given by the school, and•to report on the content of the school's collective worship,•and any such person may report on the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils at the school.

“ In this Part ’denominational education’, in relation to a school, means religious education . . .”


What stays the same - 2

The SIAMS Inspection Briefing (SIB)

• produced by the inspector prior to the inspection, provides the school with a clear focus for the inspection

The Diocese

• will continue to find trained and qualified SIAMS inspectors to conduct the inspections for the governors and allocate an inspector to school

• provide support materials for schools and inspectors

• will critically read all reports prior to publication by the governors

• will offer a resolution service for any dispute between inspectors and schools


What changes – 1Ofsted and SIAMS are no longer coupled

• A SIAMS inspection will normally take place within five years from the end of the school year in which the last SIAS/SIAMS took place.

• Schools will get one working week notice of the SIAMS inspection date:

• Outstanding and good Section 48 / SIAMS schools

• should expect a SIAMS after five years (within 5 years)

• Satisfactory and unsatisfactory Section 48 / SIAMS schools

• should expect a SIAMS after three years (within 3 to 5 years)

Note: Funding from the DfE only covers one SIAMS every five years.

Text in brackets is as provided by National Society guidance September 2013.


What changes - 2The Four Key Questions are now referred to as Core

Questions

•Under each Core Question there is:

• a set of sub questions that the inspector MUST evaluate

• a comprehensive set of suggestions of where evidence MAY come from

• a set of Grade Descriptors

•In addition inspectors will make a summary judgement on the distinctiveness and overall effectiveness of the school as a church school.

•Inspectors are expected to make professional judgements and not tally up tick or score sheets.


Questions so far . . .


The revised report content aims to evaluate:

•the distinctively Christian understanding of shared human values within a church school

• the achievement of pupils as a demonstration of how the school is meeting the needs of all learners

• religious Education in VC school (as part of Core Question 1)

• the explicitly Christian vision expressed by leaders

• the role of governors in strategic planning and monitoring of the school’s Christian character

• the explicitly Christian nature of worship


Why change? - 1The rationale provided by the National Society includes:

•the difference between Ofsted and SIAMS judgements for some / many schools

•SEE NEXT SLIDE FOR DATA OF OUR SCHOOLS

•to ensure the difference between a good community school and a good church school is “More than Caring and Sharing”

•to establish a clear distinction between good and outstanding in church school judgements

•to assure the importance of RE in both VA and VC schools


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Series1 4 58 65 13

Count of -1 Count of 0 Count of 1 Count of 2

Data for Portsmouth and WinchesterOf 141 inspections currently on our database where we

have both Ofsted and SIAS grades:

3% schools where the SIAS was one grade lower than the Ofsted grade

41% schools matched

46% SIAS one grade higher than Ofsted

9% SIAS two grades higher than Ofsted


Why change? - 2The rationale provided by the National Society includes:

•ensuring the centrality and Christian distinctiveness of worship

•securing the effectiveness of RE – especially the teaching of Christianity

•ensuring that values are distinctively Christian

•requiring leaders to articulate and embed a distinctive Christian vision


From the Framework Document

The purposes of SIAMS inspection are:

• To provide an evaluation of the distinctiveness and effectiveness of the church school for the governing body, the school, the parents, the diocese, the National Society and the wider public.

• To meet the requirements of Section 48 of the Education Act 2005 for schools which have a religious character.

• To verify the outcome of the school’s self-evaluation.

• To make a significant contribution to improvement in Church schools.


The core principles for SIAMS inspection are:

• to focus on learners

• to relate sensitively to the self-evaluation and context of the school

• to apply the highest possible standards of inspection practice

• to focus on the evaluation of distinctiveness and effectiveness

• to stimulate and evaluate improvement and affirm success


The relationship with the Ofsted inspection:• SIAMS inspection reports will provide a different but

complementary perspective on church schools in relation to Ofsted and HMI findings

• therefore, where the timing of the inspections allow, inspectors should establish an appropriate working link with a lead inspector

• however, with the variety in inspection practice and with OFSTED inspecting the better schools less frequently, Ofsted inspections and SIAMS may no longer be coupled


The principal objective of self-evaluation and inspection:

• The principal objective of the inspection is to evaluate the distinctiveness and effectiveness of the school as a church school so to ensure that learners’ academic, personal and spiritual needs are being met.

• A church school’s self-evaluation, verified by inspection, will seek to judge how well the school’s distinctive Christian character and values ensure the development and achievement of the whole child or young person.


The Core Questions

• How well does the school, through its distinctive Christian character, meet the needs of all learners?

• What is the impact of collective worship on the school community?

• How effective is the Religious Education?

(Only in VA schools)

• How effective are the leadership and management of the school as a church school?


The Core Questions• How well does the school, through its distinctive Christian character, meet the

needs of all learners?

• What is the impact of collective worship on the school community?

• How effective is the Religious Education? (Only in VA schools)

• How effective are the leadership and management of the school as a church school?

• Evidence gathered for each statement, under the core question, contributes to a single judgement on the core question

• The order of the core questions is not hierarchical. Together they provide a basis for evaluation that meets the principal objective (to evaluate the distinctiveness and effectiveness of the school as a church school so to ensure that learners’ academic, personal and spiritual needs are being met)

• It is not intended that inspectors (or schools) make numerical judgements on each statement that are then totted up


Activity• On your table look at the Evaluation Statements for a

Core Question.

• Discuss the impact of these revised sub questions on your school / leadership

• Report back to whole group

• 5 minutes for each Core Question


1. How well does the school, through its distinctive Christian character, meet the needs of all learners?

Evaluation statements•how well the Christian character contributes to the

academic achievement, personal development and wellbeing of all learners, regardless of their ability or background

•how effectively the Christian character supports the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of all learners whether they are Christian, of other faiths or of none

•how effectively the distinctively Christian character shapes the relationships between members of the school community

•how well the Christian character promotes an understanding of and respect for diverse communities

•the contribution of religious education to the Christian character of the school


2. What is the impact of collective worship on the school community?

• the extent to which learners and adults engage with collective worship, its relevance and the way it makes a difference to the lives of members of the whole school community

• the extent to which collective worship is distinctively Christian, setting out the values of the school in their Christian context

• how well collective worship develops personal spirituality within the school community through a range of experiences, including a focus on prayer

• how well collective worship enables participants to develop an understanding of Jesus Christ and a Christian understanding of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit

• how effectively the school community is involved in the planning, leadership and evaluation of collective worship


3. How effective is the Religious Education? (Only in VA schools)

• the achievement of learners in religious education

• the quality of teaching and learning in religious education

• the effectiveness of the curriculum in religious education and especially the teaching of Christianity

• the effectiveness of the leadership and management of religious education


4. How effective are the leadership and management of the school as a church school?• the extent to which leaders articulate an explicit

Christian vision that has an impact on:a. standards of achievementb. the distinctively Christian character of the schoolc. the well-being of all the whole school community

• the extent to which school leaders secure the impact of this vision through evaluation and strategic planning

• how well leaders prepare for future leadership across church schools

• the effectiveness of partnerships with the local church, the deaneries, the diocese/district and the wider community, including the parents and carers

• if the arrangements for religious education and collective worship meet statutory requirements


Reporting Backon the

Evaluation Statements


A note on the grade descriptors

The grade descriptors are now presented as a list of bullet points rather than a grid. Schools and inspectors should decide which grade is the ‘best fit’.

This format is intended to:

• promote a more diagnostic approach to making judgements

• focus inspectors on the ‘big picture’

• help inspectors to explain where and why improvement is needed.

It is not:

• a checklist

• a structure for writing reports.

The descriptors for inadequate do not work on a ‘best fit’ basis


Pre-inspection evidence

Inspectors have been advised to request from the school

•The SEF and any additional self-evaluation of the school as a church school

The inspector will access independently

•School website

•Most recent SIAMS and Ofsted reports – from Ofsted and NS websites

Provided by the Diocese

•Data on school performance

The inspector should

Send the SIB to school 24 hours prior to inspection


Additional evidence on the day

To be requested during the phone call to the headteacher:

•school’s own tracking data on current performance, attendance and exclusion data – request discussion with appropriate member of SLT

•RE and worship files – planning; evaluations; assessments; observations

•school improvement plan

•relevant policies

•a selection of pupils’ RE books


An example timetable for the inspection day• initial meeting with headteacher to discuss the SIB

• regular updates for the headteacher

• a learning walk

• observing collective worship

• observing the teaching of RE

• at least one meeting with a group of students

• a midday summary to reshape the inspection

• scrutiny of data with senior leader

• discussion with foundation governors

• time to prepare the formal feedback


Data about the schoolThe Diocese intends to •provide the inspector with an overview of how well the

school is doing compared to other schools nationally and in the diocese [however this data can be between six and seventeen months old, depending on the time of the inspection]

• it would be helpful if schools would share their Raise on line with the diocesan education team so we can brief inspectors appropriately

The inspector•has to explore what has happened in the gap between the

collection of this data and the inspection of the schoolThe school will have current information on•standards and progress•attendance•exclusions and incidents of poor behaviour


Prompts for Christian values and achievement Consider the personal qualities that lead to achievement?•self-confidence•trust in each other and those who teach•creation of an atmosphere in which learners can take risks

and know that they can learn from making mistakes•feel accepted at whatever point they are

How does the school feel that Christian love makes adistinctive contribution to developing these qualities?•all are forgiven and loved•all have different gifts as part of the body of Christ•telling the truth in love•stability from the consistent guidance of Christian values

This provides a secure basis for achievement and a love of learning


Christian character and pupil achievement• Worship / worthship / equally valued in the eyes of God / self esteem /

pupil achievement

• Perseverance as Christian value / resilience in learning

• A Christian understanding of achievement leading to a different way to judge others achievements

• Spiritual development linked to pupil achievement through progression in opportunities for creativity empathy and reflection as opposed to just provision and promotion (see materials from Kathryn Wright or the ‘Rickett Grids’)

• Creating a Christian culture of taking risks in learning through an assurance of forgiveness, acceptance and Christian love

• Christian love as a secure basis for achievement and in giving confidence in learning


Safe journey home

portsmouth & winchester - anglican church school inspections from april 20131 the revised...

Documents

siams schools

foundation school

school year

school leaders

voluntary controlled

siams inspection date

siams inspection briefing

denominational education