Introducing the Revised Common
Inspection Framework 2012
Charlie Henry HMI
Principal Officer – Disability and special
educational needs
Natspec Conference October 2012
Consultation‘A good education for all’

Consultation‘A good education for all’
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outstanding providers must have outstanding
teaching and learning
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‘requires improvement’ replaces ‘satisfactory’
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summary of performance management outcomes
early inspection for those who are ‘satisfactory’
limit the opportunity to be graded as ‘requires
improvement’ to two consecutive occasions
‘no notice’ inspection
The Common Inspection
Framework 2012
Handbook
 Part One
Conducting inspections
 Part Two
The evaluation schedule’
Independent specialist colleges’
previous inspection record
Judgement
Next inspection
Outstanding and
Good
Within 6 years of the last inspection
Satisfactory preSept 2012
Within 2 years of September 2012
Requires
improvement
Within 12-18 months
Inadequate
Re-inspection monitoring visit within 6-8
months of the last inspection, and a
full re-inspection within 12-15 months of the
last full inspection
Types of inspection

Inspection – to inspect the provider’s government-funded
provision against all aspects of the Common Inspection
Framework 2012.

Survey report visits – To explore a specific aspect of a
provider’s work as part of a programme of surveys based on
topics linked to national priorities. Such visits may be added
to a routine inspection.
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Re-inspection
Risk assessment – annually
Monitoring visits – to be used by exception only
Interim assessment – no longer carried out
We will continue to:
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focus on the things that have most impact on improving
outcomes for learners – teaching, learning and
assessment
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take account of providers’ self assessment
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listen to the views of learners, employers, staff and, where
appropriate, parents
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make clear recommendations for the provider’s
improvement

continue to focus inspections on the weaker providers
involve a senior member of staff in the inspection
process
What is different in the revised
framework ?
We will:
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only grade providers as outstanding if they have outstanding
teaching and learning
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replace satisfactory with ‘requires improvement’
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focus more on performance management and governance
inspect early those who are ‘satisfactory’
limit the opportunity to be graded as ‘requires improvement’
to two consecutive occasions
give two days notice of inspection
use information provided through ‘Learner view’
We will continue to:
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undertake an annual risk assessment of all providers
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have a strong focus on equality and diversity, which will
be embedded throughout the framework
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consider capacity to improve, but within the context of
leadership and management.
take account of the management of safeguarding
arrangements to ensure all learners are safe
Aims of the revised framework
The revised Common Inspection Framework
streamlines and simplifies the existing CIF by
focusing on:
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the aspects of a provider’s work that have most
impact on learners
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reducing the number of judgements and grades
the impact of leadership on the learner experience
Common Inspection Framework 2012
Overall effectiveness
Outcomes for learners
Quality of teaching,
learning and
assessment
Effectiveness of
leadership and
management
The common grading scale for all
inspection judgements
A common grading scale is used in making judgements
for organisational inspections:
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Grade
Grade
Grade
Grade
1
2
3
4
outstanding
good
requires improvement
inadequate
What is different in the revised
framework ?
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the emphasis on teaching, learning and assessment
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the extent to which the provision meets local and
national needs
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increased observation of teaching, learning, skills
development and assessment
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success, rates of progress and progression of different
groups of learners
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destinations - into employment and higher level
qualifications
no limiting grades for equality and diversity and
safeguarding
What is different in the revised
framework ?
We will:

only grade providers as outstanding if they have outstanding
teaching and learning



replace satisfactory with ‘requires improvement’



focus more on performance management and governance
inspect early those who are ‘satisfactory’
limit the opportunity to be graded as ‘requires improvement’
to two consecutive occasions
give two days notice of inspection
use information provided through ‘Learner view’
Overall Effectiveness
Inspectors will finally judge the quality of education and/or
training provided - taking account of:
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the three key aspect judgements
the extent to which the education and/or training meets
the needs of the range of learners at the provider and, in
particular, the needs of learners with learning difficulties
and/or disabilities.
Note: In judging overall effectiveness, inspectors will take
account of the full range of evidence and will then decide
whether the provider’s overall effectiveness is outstanding, is
good, requires improvement or is inadequate.
Myth - Will the two key grades for
‘Outcomes for learners’ and
‘Teaching, learning and assessment’
become the new ‘limiting’ grades? Surely it will be
impossible to be judged outstanding?
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We are confident providers will be found to be
outstanding. Providers will only be judged outstanding for
‘overall effectiveness’ if ‘the quality of teaching, learning
and assessment’ is judged to be outstanding. We would
expect that this high quality teaching, learning and
assessment would result in high success rates and very
good and sustained progress for learners.
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However if ‘outcomes for learners’ is not judged to be
outstanding this will not necessarily ‘limit’ the overall
effectiveness grade.
Outcomes for learners
Outcomes for learners
To judge outcomes for learners we will give particular
attention to how well:
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all learners achieve and make progress relative to their
starting points and learning goals
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achievement gaps are narrowing between different
groups of learners
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learners develop personal, social, and employability skills
learners progress to courses leading to higher-level
qualifications and into jobs that meet local and national
needs
Myth - I have heard that ‘Outcomes for
learners’ judgement is based purely on
success rates data and a comparison
with national averages. Is this true?
This is not true.
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None of the judgements are based on data alone.
Although inspectors will look at success rate data
they will also look at retention, progress, and
whether learners go on to do further learning or
in to sustainable employment. Inspectors will also
talk to learners about whether they enjoy their
course and whether it is meeting their needs.
Teaching, learning and
assessment
Teaching, learning and assessment
In judging teaching, learning and assessment, inspectors will
evaluate the extent to which:
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learners benefit from high expectations, engagement, care,
support and motivation from staff
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staff use their skills and expertise to plan and deliver
teaching, learning and support to meet each learner’s needs
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staff initially assess learners’ starting points and monitor their
progress, set challenging tasks, and build on and extend
learning for all learners
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learners understand how to improve as a result of frequent,
detailed and accurate feedback from staff following
assessment of their learning
Teaching, learning and assessment
In judging teaching, learning and assessment, inspectors will
evaluate the extent to which:
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teaching and learning develop English, mathematics and
functional skills, and support the achievement of learning
goals and career aims
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appropriate and timely information, advice and guidance
supports learning effectively
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equality and diversity are promoted through teaching and
learning.
How we will inspect teaching,
learning and assessment
Inspectors will capture evidence from a variety of learning
activities, for example through:
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direct observation;
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accompanying an assessor to a number of employers to
observe learners’ skills development on the job. They may
assess how the learner is progressing compared with their
starting point.
evaluation of learning materials and their use by learners;
the use of technology to deliver and assess learning;
examining what learners can do and make as a result of
their learning.
Myth - I think we are due an
inspection shortly. Do I need to have a
lesson plan for the inspector?
No.
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You should do what your provision normally
expects you to do when planning lessons. One of
the greatest advantages of short notice
inspections is that there will be no special
preparation for inspection. Whatever you do
normally in your college will prevail
Myth - Inspectors only judge the
quality of teaching and learning through at least
a series of 30 minute plus observations?
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Inspectors make judgements on the quality of teaching, learning
and assessment by collecting evidence in a number of different
ways, including visits to workplaces, lessons, training and
assessment sessions to evaluate the impact of the teaching on
how well people learn
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When inspectors observe teachers and trainers the judgement
contributes to the inspection team’s evaluation of the quality of
teaching overall
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Inspectors judge the quality of teaching and the learning taking
place and not the quality of the teacher
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Observations contribute to the judgment on teaching, learning
and assessment. Taking into account how well learners are
assessed, and how this helps them to improve
Myth - I have heard that providers
need to have a certain proportion of
learning sessions observed during the inspection as
‘outstanding’ before the provider can be judged
‘outstanding’. Is this correct?
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This is incorrect. Ofsted has not established a required
proportion of lessons or training sessions that need to be
judged outstanding. Inspectors do not observe all sessions
during the inspection and when they do visit they may only
stay for part of the session.
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Clearly, it would be unusual for an outstanding’ provider to
not have any ‘outstanding’ lessons or training session
observations during an inspection but it is worth stressing
that a wide range of evidence drawn from across the
college is used in conjunction with lesson observations to
determine whether the college is outstanding or not.
Leadership and Management
Leadership and management
We will evaluate the extent to which leaders and
managers, including, where relevant, governors:
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demonstrate an ambitious vision, have high expectations for
what all learners can achieve, and attain high standards of
quality and performance
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improve teaching and learning through rigorous
performance management and appropriate professional
development
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evaluate the quality of the provision through robust selfassessment, taking account of users’ views, and use the
findings to promote and develop capacity for sustainable
improvement
Leadership and management
We will evaluate the extent to which leaders and
managers, including, where relevant, governors:

successfully plan, establish and manage the curriculum and
learning programmes to meet the needs and interests of
learners, employers and the local and national community
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actively promote equality and diversity, tackle bullying and
discrimination, and narrow the achievement gap
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safeguard all learners
Myth - Will my provision be
downgraded if I do not have an up to
date self-assessment report?
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There is no contractual requirement for further education
and skills providers to complete a self-assessment report.
However, there is an expectation from both Ofsted and the
funding bodies that providers will rigorously assess their
own performance.
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When we notify a provider of their inspection the lead
inspector will ask for their most recent self-assessment
report, in whatever format the provider has chosen to use.
Inspectors will want to analyse the impact of the selfassessment processes as part of their evaluation of
leadership and management. Inspectors will be critical of
providers that do not establish accurate and robust selfassessment processes and/or do not regularly share this
information with the governing body, where appropriate.
‘Learner view’
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Learners’ views remain an essential component inspection.
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From Sept 2012, inspectors will use Ofsted’s new web tool –
‘Learner View’ to collect the information they need.
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Questionnaires will be open all year round.
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During this inspection period there will be a ‘free text’ box to enter
comments.
Strong support during consultation particularly the NUS and other
learner, employer and parent groups.
Providers will be requested to inform their learners of the
opportunity to complete the questionnaire by the end of the
second day of inspection.
How will we use the results?
 results will feed into the annual risk assessment,
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alongside other evidence, to help to decide which
providers to inspect and when
inspectors will view and analyse the latest results
during the inspection
comments will inform inspection trails
by sharing their views, learners, employers, parents
and carers will be helping their provider to improve
Responses for this provider: 57
10/10/2012
Questionnaires for
parents/carers and employers
 not visible to the general public – users can only
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access the questionnaires using a link they will
receive from their provider
no free text questions
open all year round including at the point of
inspection
results not published, but will be discussed with
providers during inspections
results available to inspectors
Inspection report format
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The front page of the inspection report will include a new
short section called ‘Summary of key findings’.
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The inspection report will:
 explain in straightforward language what the provider is
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doing well and what it needs to improve
 make recommendations
The report will be published on Ofsted’s website
approximately 25 working days after the inspection has
finished.
Inspection report format
Inner City College
– General Further Education College
Inspection dates
Overall effectiveness
12 – 16 November 2012
This inspection:
Requires improvement
Previous inspection:
3
Good
2
Outcomes for learners
Requires improvement
3
Quality of teaching, learning and assessment
Requires improvement
3
Leadership and management
Requires improvement
3
Summary of key findings for learners
This provider requires improvement because:
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Generally, the proportion of students, including apprentices, who achieve qualifications across the
college provision is average and on many learning programmes and courses the proportion
achieving qualifications is too low.
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Students and apprentices make insufficient progress on many learning programmes and courses
compared with their starting points.
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Progression to higher level qualifications is too low. Some students are following courses which
do not suit their needs.
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The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is too variable in many subject areas and much
is not good enough. Teaching is poor on courses where success rates are low.
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Performance management processes on the college main site provision need improvement,
subcontracted performance management of provision is weak.
This provider has the following strengths:

The college is highly inclusive and plays a major role in providing opportunities for young people
and in improving the lives of local people with few or no qualifications and helping unemployed
people into work. Few other opportunities exist for these students in the local area.
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Students enjoy the respectful and tolerant atmosphere at the college.
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Teachers are successful at improving students’ language and personal skills on ESOL courses and
technical skills on arts, media and publishing and hospitality courses.
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The college has been effective in improving the performance of students of Bangladeshi heritage.
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Students benefit from excellent accommodation and high quality resources in most vocational
areas.
Preparing for an
inspection
Before inspection
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provider receives a telephone call, by 10:30, two
days before the inspectors arrive on site, followed
by an e-mail with an attached notification letter

lead inspector telephones the provider by 12:00
noon to confirm arrangements and start the
inspection process
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during this telephone call the lead inspector and
provider will agree a time for the planning meeting
to go ahead.
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the lead inspector will confirm the range of
documents that will be required for the inspection
The nominee
 role remains the same, but increased
preparedness will be essential in readiness
for a shorter notification period
 training for nominees is offered at specially
focused ‘preparation for inspection events’,
details of which can be found at:
http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/node/18970
Preparing for shorter notice
Means notification of inspection two working days prior to
inspection
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consider training more than one nominee
have a pack available of key data and information
have an update of the latest self assessment
upload the self assessment
the range of provision and venues
the number and type of learners
subcontractors
Questions