You may have seen the Secretary of State’s recent announcement, which confirmed that the school self-evaluation form (SEF) for maintained schools is to be withdrawn with effect from September 2011. This will mean that the Ofsted school information and evaluation form for independent schools (SIEF) will also be withdrawn at the same time. Inspectors will continue to make full use of the SEF and SIEF during school inspections which take place during the present academic year.
We will consider carefully how inspectors will manage school inspections when the SEF has been withdrawn, as part of work to develop a new school inspection framework during the coming year. We will be consulting on the development of the new framework during the next few weeks; this will provide an opportunity to explore the implications of conducting inspections without a common summative self-evaluation form. We will also explore the implications of conducting inspections without the SIEF with independent schools. It will, of course, be important that both maintained and independent schools continue to review their performance.
The major review of special educational needs and disability arrangements reveals a range of concerns about the current system and how well it is serving children and young people.
The training staff of the Armed Forces display a strong commitment to promoting the well-being of recruits and trainees, but there is still scope for improvement in the overall quality of welfare and duty of care, according to Welfare and duty of care in Armed Forces initial training.
Children missing from education highlights the challenges local authorities face in identifying and tracking children who are missing from education. Children missing from education, and whose whereabouts become unknown, not only risk failing academically but are also potentially vulnerable to physical, emotional and psychological harm.
Some children and young people in secure care are being placed as far away as 200 miles from their families, damaging their chances of receiving coordinated support, according to Admission and discharge from secure accommodation. While young people generally receive good emotional support within secure establishments, the report highlights how the limited number and range of secure establishments undermines efforts to support them when they are admitted and discharged from a secure placement.
This is a consultation on proposals for a revised framework for the inspection of children’s homes. Ofsted seeks the widest possible range of views from those who have an interest in, or expertise relating to, children’s homes in order to ensure that the inspection framework takes proper account of the needs and circumstances of all interested parties. Above all, the framework must assure the quality of services for the children and young people who live in children’s homes, and support their continuing improvement. We are particularly interested to hear from children and young people who live in or have lived in children’s homes.
The consultation ends on 31 October 2010.
We inspect and regulate to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages.
The new Ofsted brings together the wide experience of four inspectorates to make a greater difference for every child, and for all young people and adult learners, in England. Their educational, economic and social well-being will promote our success as a country.
Our Ofsted: who we are and what we do leaflet and two Raising standards, improving lives booklets explain what we do and how our work is helping to improve outcomes for children and learners. They are available in About us.
Following the launch of the new inspection reports search in June, we have received feedback from users whose needs are not met by this new search facility. We apologise for this. A new Ofsted website is due in the next few months and we can reassure users that we will use this feedback when designing the new website’s inspection reports search.
We apologise for any inconvenience the current inspection reports search may cause.
Annual Report 2008/09
The Report principally presents evidence from inspection and regulatory visits undertaken by Ofsted between September 2008 and August 2009.
Outstanding Providers 2008/09
The list of providers judged to be outstanding following an inspection in 2008/09 is now live. You can view the new list on the link below.
Safeguarding FAQs
Our safeguarding FAQs are divided into three sections: schools and colleges; learning and skills providers; Cafcass service areas.
Early Years: Leading to Excellence
Ofsted's latest report on early years and childcare focuses on leadership and management.
Ofsted News
Find out the latest about inspection in our free online magazine.
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