2008

Joint consultation on school-level indicators to measure well-being

Ofsted, together with The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) today launched a consultation on a proposed standard set of school level indicators which will recognise and reward schools for their contribution to pupil’s well-being.

Schools contribute to the well-being of children in many ways, for example by providing a safe environment in which bullying is not tolerated; by teaching children about healthy eating and the risks of drug and alcohol abuse, and by helping to develop children’s self esteem and social skills. Today’s consultation should help achieve the ambition at the heart of the Children’s Plan for schools to play a key role in the wider development of young people, alongside their core mission of helping all children to realise their full educational potential.

• 09 Oct 2008

Breaking through the language barrier: Ofsted report evaluates the quality of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL)

A new report shows inadequate ESOL in colleges is now rare. ESOL in the post-compulsory learning and skills sector: an evaluation, finds the number of colleges providing ESOL that is less than satisfactory has fallen to one in sixteen, down from one in five in the period from 2001-2005.

• 03 Oct 2008

Report highlights the benefit of learning outside the classroom

A new Ofsted report reveals that pupils’ participation and achievement can benefit significantly from getting involved with activities outside the classroom – but not all schools and colleges are reaping the full benefits, because some do not incorporate many off-site experiences into the curriculum.

• 02 Oct 2008

Private foster care children say things have improved – but not enough

The Children's Rights Directorate's latest report shows that children in private foster care are more likely to have a say in choosing their carers and receive regular visits from their social workers than they were two years ago, but worrying variations remain in children’s experiences, according to a new report published today by the Children’s Rights Director for England, Dr Roger Morgan.

• 30 Sep 2008

Maths: for thousands of children, it just doesn’t add up

Pupils should be taught maths in a way that helps them understand and apply it in the context of their everyday lives, according to our latest report Mathematics: understanding the score.

• 19 Sep 2008

Adult learning plays its part in community renewal

Ofsted’s latest survey finds Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities (NLDC) projects are bringing communities together and boosting educational, training and job opportunities for those most in need.

The report, The role of adult learning in community renewal: Neighbourhood Learning in Deprived Communities programmes, finds on the whole, providers are highly effective at engaging specific, targeted groups such as people with disabilities, lone parents, minority ethnic groups and young offenders.

• 17 Sep 2008

Focus on colleges: Good… Better… Best

Over 60 per cent of colleges are now considered good or better at inspection, up from just under 50 per cent in 2001-2005.

Ofsted’s latest report, How Colleges Improve: A review of effective practice looks at ways colleges have successfully improved their standards between Ofsted inspections, from inadequate to good or from satisfactory or good to outstanding.

• 11 Sep 2008

Early years: Leading to excellence report finds under fives get better start in life, but there is still more to do

Ofsted's latest report on early years and childcare focuses on leadership and management. It reveals encouraging progress over the last three years.

Almost all providers (97%) now meet national standards – with Ofsted inspections and recommendations playing an important role in this success. However, the report also highlights a wide range in the quality of provision across the country.

The report includes practical resources to help practitioners further improve their work with children within the Early Years Foundation Stage.

You can visit the site by clicking the banner on the right, or read more on the link below.

• 27 Aug 2008

Ofsted’s latest report evaluates the impact of Programme-led apprenticeships

Ofsted finds programme-led apprenticeships are an important alternative to employer-led apprenticeships, but there are concerns that more needs to be done to understand and promote the programme following a fall in participation.

• 18 Jul 2008

Safeguarding Children review shows most vulnerable children not yet benefiting from improvements to services and outcomes

Much has changed in the landscape of children's services since the 2005 review. As a result of improved safeguarding arrangements, most children now feel safe in their homes and communities, and are receiving the quality of care and support that they need. But some children and young people are still not well enough served by public services.

The 2008 review highlights what has improved over the past three years and assesses to what extent the considerable activity that has taken place at both national and local levels has affected outcomes for children and young people. It also identifies those areas that are still in need of improvement

• 08 Jul 2008