Agenda item

To consider a report from the Chief Executive of Education Leeds which summarises the outcomes of recent Ofsted inspections in Leeds

A report was submitted by the Head of Scrutiny and Member Development which introduced a report from the Chief Executive of Education Leeds summarising the outcomes of recent Ofsted inspections. The report had been previously submitted to Executive Board on 18^th October 2006.

Dirk Gilleard, Deputy Chief Executive of Education Leeds, was in attendance to answer Members’ questions.

Following a brief summary of the main points detailed within the report, a question and answer session ensued. The main areas of discussion were as follows:-

·  Congratulations were extended to schools which had achieved good inspection outcomes;

·  With regard to the Ofsted school inspection framework, which now had a reduced number of grades, Members sought guidance on the ways in which any disadvantage arising from such a system could be minimised;

·  The percentage of schools achieving each of the four Ofsted grades on a national level and whether the proportion of grades achieved differed between primary and secondary schools;

·  Members requested that reports, which detailed recent Ofsted inspection results, were submitted to the Board on a periodic basis;

·  Members emphasised the need for the Scrutiny Board to monitor those schools classed by Ofsted as ‘inadequate’ and proposed that updates on the progress made by such schools were submitted to the Board on a regular basis;

·  The need to consider the negative effects and wider implications of previous school closures when proposing such action in the future;

·  The differences in approach and focus which had been experienced during Ofsted inspections in Leeds and the appropriateness of the criteria used to assess schools;

·  The continuing validity of national guidelines on space requirements in schools relating to surplus places, given the resources needed to administer the extended curriculum in Leeds;

·  The resources being provided via the PFI programme and the extent to which such resource provision was consistent with current requirements;

·  The methods used by Education Leeds to predict Ofsted inspection results and whether some of the recent results gained had been unexpected;

·  The extent to which the grades achieved by secondary schools during Ofsted inspections were being restricted by problems experienced at Key Stage 3;

·  Members emphasised the need to take into account the demographic shifts which were occurring in Leeds and the nature of new dwellings being erected when considering the issue of school provision in the future. In response, Members were reminded that the Board had resolved to support the Admissions Forum’s request to Education Leeds to re-examine their demographic projection processes at the October meeting of the Scrutiny Board;

·  Following Members’ requests, the Deputy Chief Executive of Education Leeds undertook to provide Members with the Education Leeds School Improvement Policy for information;

·  The significant gap which existed between the ‘outstanding’ and ‘good’ Ofsted inspection categories, and the implications that such a grading system had on those schools which fell between the two;

·  In conclusion, Members proposed that consideration could be given to the Scrutiny Board formally commenting upon the revised Ofsted Inspection Framework in the future.

RESOLVED –

(a). That the report and information appended to the report be noted;

(b). That schools be congratulated on good inspection outcomes;

(c). That the Chair and the Board’s Adviser explore with the Deputy Chief Executive of Education Leeds the possibility of the Board making formal comment to Ofsted on the new inspection framework.

(Councillor Renshaw left the meeting at 12.00 p.m. during the consideration of this item)