No schedule for when rest of island’s secondary schools could be inspected by Ofsted
THERE is no schedule for when the rest of the secondary schools could be inspected by Ofsted, Education president Andrea Dudley-Owen said.
The inspectors decide on the schedule of inspections and make contact with the schools direct, with minimal notice.
‘We’ve got no schedule of who is next,’ she said.
‘Those are on a rolling basis and we’re not giving any advance warning as to when they come.’
St Sampson’s High School was given a glowing validation report in 2015, but over the next seven years it has slipped to being deemed inadequate in three out of four areas in its first Ofsted report.
In the past, the secondary schools have been inspected by Education Scotland or against Education Scotland’s standards.
The Grammar School was last inspected in 2019, where its leadership and teaching were classed as very good, and in other areas it was classed as excellent.
That year was the first year it took in a Year 7 intake of all abilities, rather than through the 11+ exam.
At that time, as now, it was led by principal Kieran James, who had previously led the Sixth Form Centre.
La Mare de Carteret High School was inspected in 2016, when it was led by Vicky Godley, now the principal of St Sampson’s High. That found that pupils were well-behaved and co-operated with teachers. The school is now being led by former deputy headteacher Verona Tomlin.
Les Beaucamps High School was inspected at the end of 2018, shortly after former Grammar School deputy headteacher Martin Haimes took over from Sophie Roughsedge. Concerns were raised about weak leadership, but the teaching and learning were classed as satisfactory.
Ofsted reports can be carried out at any point beyond the first week of the autumn term.
If a school is judged good or outstanding at its most recent inspection, it will normally receive an inspection approximately every four years. If some concerns are raised or standards are declining, an inspection is usually carried out within one or two years. If it is deemed inadequate, there would be another inspection within 30 months.
Two-day inspections include meetings with teachers and joint visits to classes. Inspectors give oral feedback to teachers and other staff about what they see.
