Ofsted consults on changes to inspection framework for teacher training

Ofsted has today published a consultation on a new approach to inspecting initial teacher education (ITE).

The draft framework has been developed to align with Ofsted’s new education inspection framework (EIF) and the Department for Education’s standards and frameworks for ITT and early career teachers. It has been tailored to the different phases of trainee education, including early years, primary, secondary and further education. And, like the EIF, it looks less at outcomes data and focuses more on how effectively trainees are prepared to teach a well-sequenced curriculum.

The proposed new framework is the result of extensive research, including pilot visits to ITE partnerships, and experience gained over the past 26 years.

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman, said:

While no new teacher is completely ready when they first step into a classroom, high-quality teacher training gives them a solid grounding so that they can begin inspiring the next generation.

We want to make sure our ITE inspections provide the best measure of the quality of education and training that trainees get. We’ve designed what we hope is a clear and user-friendly framework that assesses the things that matter most.

The new framework reflects the shift in focus of our education inspections from outcomes to the substance of education. It removes aspects of inspection that do not genuinely assess the quality of teacher training. This will help make sure ITE partnerships’ are focused on the things that have the greatest impact on trainees’ education and, ultimately, children and young people.

Ofsted is seeking views on the draft framework and inspection handbook. The main proposals include:

• introducing a new ‘quality of education and training’ judgement, with a focus on the ITE curriculum, to replace two current judgements• applying a new methodology for gathering inspection evidence• a single visit, four-day inspection, announced three days in advance• short and long telephone conversations as part of inspection preparation• spring and summer term inspections only

The consultation is open for 10 weeks and will close on 3 April. Ofsted is seeking the views of a wide range of respondents, and would like to hear from trainee and newly qualified teachers, ITE partnerships, headteachers and other employers.

Subject to the consultation, the new ITE framework will be published in summer 2020, introduced from September 2020, with inspections beginning in January 2021.