Meeting Ofsted Is A Middle Leader’s Chance To Shine – But You Can’t Fake It
When the inspectorate calls be prepared to answer "How do you know that?", and make sure you have the evidence to back up your claims
- by James Bowen
If you are a middle leader, it is highly likely that an Ofsted inspector will want to meet with you during her time in your school. I know from personal experience how daunting this can be and the pressure you feel not to let people down. However, with the right preparation and by following a few key principles, it is actually a great opportunity to show the positive impact you are having as a leader.
When meeting with an inspector, it is vital you keep in mind that she will be interested in two key things above all else: evidence and impact.
You need to be prepared to answer the key question, “How do you know that?” – especially when talking about your area of responsibility, backing up any statements you make with clear evidence. For example, if you are going to say that standards are improving, be prepared to explain how you know this. Inspectors will quickly lose confidence if you make statements that you can᾿t substantiate.
Evidence can take a variety of forms, including end-of-key-stage data, internal school data, findings from monitoring activities and parent / pupil voice. The greater the variety of corroborating evidence you have to draw on, the better.
I have always found the best way to practice this is to sit with a trusted colleague and get her to ask two simple questions: “What are standards like in your subject?” and “What are standards like in your department?”
Then, for each statement you make, get her to follow up by asking “How do you know that?” In the past, this has really helped me to see where my evidence was strong and where I needed to do some extra digging. Far better to find this out ahead of time than when sat opposite an inspector.
Take care to avoid overly optimistic pronouncements that are not backed-up by evidence. There is a fine line between presenting things in the best possible light and trying to pull the wool over an inspector᾿s eyes; from my experience of school inspection, the latter will rarely work. If the evidence suggests there are some issues that need addressing, explain these clearly and, more importantly, how you plan to tackle them.
The second key point to remember is that Ofsted is primarily concerned about outcomes and therefore the inspector will want to know about impact. A common trap that leaders fall into is to describe at great length all the things they have ‘done᾿ but not the impact each strategy has had on children and their achievement.
As a SENCo relatively new to post, I once made the mistake of thinking the inspector would be suitably impressed as I reeled off a long list of all the different interventions we had taking place across the school, only to be somewhat taken aback when met with the response, “That’s interesting, but so what?”
An inspector will want to know the difference that your strategy made. For example, “We introduced a whole-class approach to teaching reading, and the impact it had on the children was…” That said, there is nothing wrong with explaining any strategies you put in place that did not have the desired impact. This will show you to be a reflective leader and someone who is able to evaluate objectively.
Whilst evidence and impact are the two key words to keep in mind when preparing to meet an inspector, it is also vital to think about different groups of pupils. Are there variations in standards within your area of responsibility? Do boys and girls achieve equally well? How well do those eligible for pupil premium funding fair? What about SEN and EAL pupils?
It may be that standards are excellent and improving in your subject overall, but that there is a specific issue for a specific group. Again, you will need to be able to talk about whatever challenge you may be facing, how you know this (evidence) and what you are doing to tackle it.
If you enter into a conversation with an inspector ensuring your focus is on evidence and impact, it is likely to be a positive experience. Remember, this is an opportunity for you to shine and to demonstrate the difference you are making for the children in your school. With the right preparation, who knows – you might even enjoy it!
James was the headteacher of a large, successful school in Hampshire before becoming the director at NAHT Edge, the teachers᾿ trade union for aspirational leaders, in 2016.
