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VIEWS & OPINION


Supporting schools to make necessary improvements


Comment by AL KINGSLEY, CEO of NetSupport, Chair of Hampton Academies Trust and member of the Regional Schools Commissioner Advisory Board for the East of England & North London


As the Department for Education’s consultation ‘Supporting schools that are not making necessary improvements’ closes, stakeholders from across the sector have been sharing feedback on the proposals (which include making all schools with two consecutive Ofsted judgements below ‘Good’ eligible for intervention) since March. The Department, which sought views


from ‘anybody with an interest in schools in England’ including leaders, teachers and staff, local authorities, religious bodies with responsibility for schools, parents and pupils; is now analysing this feedback ahead of plans to implement the policy change from September. These proposals formed part of the


Government’s wider Levelling Up agenda and schools white paper published earlier this year, both of which outlined the key educational mission to drive up expected standards in reading, writing and maths. In order to achieve this mission, new Education Investment Areas (EIAs) have been introduced in 55 local authorities (LAs), where school outcomes are weakest and the proposed reforms would apply. The Department is now analysing this feedback ahead of plans to implement the policy change from September. Whilst effective intervention is appropriate for some settings and


learning communities, with approximately 150,000 primary and 250,000 secondary pupils attending schools facing intervention, how can teachers, leaders and school staff help mitigate the need for remedial action altogether? Below, I explore some areas in which potential solutions can be made to proactively tackle the variety of challenges faced by schools, particularly where they intersect with Ofsted criteria, and how educational technology (EdTech) might help strengthen provision and outcomes.


Personal development One of Ofsted’s core criteria used to help formulate graded judgements, personal development concerns itself with the curriculum beyond the academic, technical or vocational, “providing for learners’ broader development”. The Government estimates roughly 17 million people (or a fifth of the


population) in the UK lack the basic digital skills needed for both work and life. This deep-rooted lack of digital skills impacts students, as the jobs market is changing so rapidly that more than 75 per cent of parents feel unequipped to offer relevant careers advice. To overcome this, schools should (and plenty do already) try and prioritise technology-enhanced learning to keep pace with emerging professional pathways and build on our newly acquired skills. The deployment of appropriate EdTech tools can help students


familiarise themselves with a range of key digital skills, playing an essential part in equipping young people with foundational technology knowledge and experience they will need for the future. In addition, research indicates proficient digital skills are associated with


a range of benefits, such as improved employment prospects, financial standing, enhanced physical and mental wellbeing, and social inclusion. Therefore, developing and consolidating this skillset should be integrated into school life. Schools should also strive to ensure this digital provision doesn’t overlook more disadvantaged group of learners, and should cater for the nearly 25 percent of vulnerable children who lack access to a device equipped for digital learning.


June 2022 Incorporating the use of digital tools and


placing an emphasis on the development of 21st century skills will play a part in ensuring the fulfilment of Ofsted’s criteria to “prepare learners for future success in their next steps”.


Behaviour and attitudes The second of Ofsted’s criteria, which inspectors will be assessing schools against, centres on behaviours and attitudes: “the provider has high expectations for learners’ behaviour and conduct… an environment where bullying, peer-on-peer abuse or discrimination are not tolerated.” With a recent surge in reported incidents of online hate speech, schools should do everything they can to foster a welcoming, inclusive environment, in which students of all backgrounds and identities feel safe and nurtured. The establishment of a secure learning


environment can be bolstered by empowering students to develop a solid understanding of


issues including bullying, grooming, substance abuse and digital citizenship. Many schools start this process in KS1 & 2, developing their own digital student voice. Implementing complementary solutions and online resources will both protect and equip children and young people with those essential digital (and offline) skills to treat fellow learners and peers with respect.


Quality of education Perhaps the most integral marker used by Ofsted during inspections is quality of education, which evaluates three key areas including of course the 3I’s : intent, implementation and impact. There is of course no silver bullet, but some have seen consistent marginal gains by utilising appropriate (and evidenced) solutions that can free up valuable time spent by staff on task such as feedback, monitoring and assessment. These allow teachers to pursue what they do best. Even if these are marginal gains, they all have the potential to free up


quality time to focus on other priorities, be that SEMH of learners or the expected the achievement of “a coherently planned curriculum, sequenced towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge and skills for future learning and employment”. Moreover, schools should seek out solutions that can “help learners to


remember in the long term the content they have been taught and to integrate new knowledge into larger concepts”. Again, I’d argue the key in this equation is the professional in front of the class, but some platforms also allow for the gamification of question sessions for retrieval practice, deliver personalised learning and help gauge understanding and reinforce new material. With workload and task lists at a record high for many school staff


thanks to the pandemic, and Ofsted inspections resuming, it’s clear that digital and technical tools have the potential to play an impactful role in setting goals and driving standards. In the face of potentially increased interventions, teachers and leaders in the newly identified 55 LAs should evaluate which areas of the curriculum and wider strategy might benefit from the introduction of technological innovation – speaking to the age- old adage ‘prevention is better than cure’. All of the above suggestions are just food for thought for the role


EdTech could play in supporting individual schools’ ambitions, but as for how schools are evaluated in the broader sense – well, that’s definitely a topic for another day.


www.education-today.co.uk 25


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