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A message from Matt Dunkley CBE:

7 December 2018 weekly update

7 December 2018

This week, Matt provides an overview and the presentation from the recent Headteacher Briefings; as well as the headlines from HMCI's Annual Report.

Dear Colleagues

Presentation from Headteacher Briefings

As promised my Headteacher Briefing Presentation (PDF, 1.4 MB) is now available. I was pleased that Claire Prince HMI was able to join these meetings to share the early developments of the new Ofsted Framework - it is clear that there is a lot more detail to come, but the early indications of a helpful, changed framework are positive. As suggested at the meetings we will develop a product to make you ‘match fit’ for Ofsted and I will ask colleagues in The Education People (TEP) to develop a pre-Ofsted self-assessment tool for schools who may well be in the initial inspection tranche in September 2019.

Finally, a reminder that if you have any specific matters relating to the Front Door, then please share with Kate Wilson  on behalf of KAH who will be collating and theming comments by emailing kate.wilson@LLSE.org.uk.

HMCI’s Annual Report

As you know, the HMCI’s Annual Report was published this week. Some of the headline statements include:

  1. Ofsted ‘concerned’ over exclusion of SEN pupils - their concerns that in Secondary schools, pupils with SEN support are five times more likely to have a permanent exclusion than pupils with no SEND. There is also a correlation with fixed term exclusions
  2. SEND pupils - the report touches upon the increase of demand on Councils to undertake EHC Assessments and that it has increased significantly. Again, this is something that we touched upon at my Headteacher Briefings and the impact of the funding gap for High Needs.
  3. Off-rolled pupils more likely to have SEND - 19,000 pupils did not progress from Year 10 to 11 in the same school; what is more concerning is that 50% of these pupils did not reappear in another state school
  4. Stuck schools more likely to have white British children - Ofsted has identified 490 ‘stuck’ schools nationally with the proportion of free school meal pupils, particularly those who are white British, well above the national average.

In relation to improvement nationally and Kent’s picture:

  • The Early Years sector nationally remains strong with 95% of providers being judged good or outstanding. In Kent this figure is above national at 97%
  • 86% of schools nationally were judged good or outstanding at their most recent inspection. In Kent this figure is 94% for Primary and 89% for Secondary.

Matt Dunkley CBE
Corporate Director
Children, Young People and Education