Opinion and JMC Blog

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ungraded inspections

Ofsted Graded & Ungraded Inspections

How is a section 5 graded inspection different from a section 8 ungraded inspection? Graded Inspections or Section 5 Inspections Ungraded Inspections or Section 8 Inspections

methodology

F23 ISI Inspection Methodology for 2024

The new ISI Inspection Framework is now in effect, known as Framework 23 (F23), there is a strong emphasis on promoting pupil wellbeing and some significant changes to inspection methodology….

ISI Inspection

Opinion: The ISI Inspection Myth Buster!

What is involved in an ISI Inspection ? There are many changes to the inspection framework from September 2023. The most significant is that ISI will NOT give an overall…

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Independent school Governors

Why international schools go for BSO Accreditation

BSO Accreditation can provide several benefits, both for the schools themselves and for their pupils. In 2022, ISC Research data recorded a total of 13,180 English-Medium international schools around the…

School self evaluation

Ofsted transition arrangement to end : implications for your School

Where did the transition arrangement apply? The transition period was initially created to acknowledge that schools might need time to adjust to the new curriculum focus in Ofsted inspections when…

vocabulary

Literacy opinion: Closing the Vocabulary Word Gap

“Nothing matters more than words.”  Geoff Barton (General Secretary, ASCL) Even prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, there were concerns about literacy & vocabulary barriers to the curriculum, with a quarter of students…

Future of work

How do we prepare children for the future of the work?

When it comes to the future of work, technology is the future. Industries all around the world will be disrupted as technology continues to develop for the future of work….

Ofsted Myths

Opinion: The Ofsted Myth Buster!

What does Ofsted want? Here are the facts about the requirements of Ofsted.  JMC have delivered these messages in training all over the country for the past year. Hopefully this…

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Faith schools

OFSTED finds that Faith Schools Outperform the Rest

Ofsted data has revealed that faith schools account for a disproportionate percentage of the country’s best-performing primary schools. The figures, released by the Department for Education, show that faith schools…

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sexual harassment

Ofsted update: Sexual harassment in Schools & Colleges

‘Assume sexual harassment is happening in schools’ Ofsted was asked by the government to carry out a rapid review of sexual harassment and abuse in schools and colleges. Ofsted advises…

Positive

SLT : Positive Approaches to Stress & Crisis Management

“As a school, we have been dealing with so many changes to policies, but we’re so conscious of focusing on the children and their needs, as they are the most…

School culture

Improving School Wellbeing Through Positive School Culture

The last 18 months have been the most challenging that schools can remember. The impact of the pandemic has really taken its toll on the mental and physical health of…

Ofsted observations

OFSTED Observations ( extracts from Ofsted briefing)

OFSTED Observations Focus: Teaching and Learning At the start of the lesson thinks about a hook, something to grab their attention. – Not about going through learning objectives, outcomes, assessment…

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Responsive teaching

Good Teacher Behaviour : What inspectors value

In looking back over previous blogs I found this article about what makes a good teacher and I have decided to repost it as I full agree with the teacher…

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21st Century learning

21st Century Learning – 6 key trends in education

Tracing the origin of formal education is not an easy task. The earliest records of formal education vary from place to place. However, the generally accepted first record can be…

global education

How is the Covid 19 Pandemic Impacting Global Education?

Global education has taken an incredible hit since the Covid-19 pandemic started in 2019. Things took such a negative turn that students were unable to study through traditional means. UNICEF…

Schools lockdown legacy

Teaching: School’s Countdown to September 2020

Post lockdown legacy teaching & learning Many pupils are ready to return to school in September (not to mention their home-schooling parents!), but in the era of post lockdown legacy…

Covid Compliant

Covid Compliance: Is your MAT , Academy or School Covid Compliant?

As schools across the UK open for all students for the new school year, teaching professionals need guidance on how best to support and protect children and young people. Will…

The revolution has begun: Are you signed up?

In a series of blogs JMC unpick this sea change in CPD and speak to school leaders about the revolution in CPD in their school. A sea change in CPD…

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marking

Marking in schools: Feedback or Feed Forward?

Any marking policy must have the students at the heart of it. What happens to all your marking comments? We teachers spend hours and hours marking pupils work, only to…

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Assessment

The 3 theories of ‘thinking’.

Here Joe Warren explains how teachers can get the best from all of the many ‘theories of thinking’ without over thinking it all… How do we think? How do we…

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Coronavirus Schools Guidance

Coronavirus Schools Guidance – 12 ways to reduce the risks!

By Stephen McKernan Headmaster St Edward’s Preparatory School, Cheltenham Revising the School Curriculum for 2020/21 The current DfE guidance for the full opening of schools in September 2020 asks that…

curriculum transition

Ofsted Update : Curriculum transition extended for a year

Headline Info : Ofsted are extending the transition period from one to two academic years. The Essential Guide to Curriculum Intent 2020-2021 What is the Curriculum Transition Period? Ofsted announced…

Ofsted Deep Dive

How to Prepare for an Ofsted Deep Dive

The new Ofsted framework really gives more time for Ofsted inspectors to look at lines of enquiry and subjects in some depth: the now-famous Jacques Cousteau ‘deep dive’. This should…

News: School Inspection Service (SIS) closes

Is your school currently inspected by SIS? Are you a Steiner or Faith School? Do you need support in managing the transition from SIS to ISI? What are the key…

News : Ofsted Consultation 2019

Ofsted Consultation Ofsted seeks your views on our proposals for changes to the education inspection framework from September 2019. This consultation closes at 11:45pm on 5 April 2019 Amanda Spielman…

The new kid on the block of Hattie’s Effect sizes…

The greatest effect size when I first started blogging in 2012 was “Feedback” at 1.13, but Hattie has continued to add to his meta-analysis since then and there is a…

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Book Review : “A Practical Guide to creating a Culture of Excellence.”

Jonathan Taylor, our guest book reviewer finds leadership ‘addressed in a common sense but insightful manner’ in a read he recommends.

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The results are in… JMC’s most popular INSET.

Having reviewed our courses we can present the list of our most popular. All a clear indication of what is emerging as the priorities for school leaders.

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Ofsted Outstanding

OFSTED to finish grading lessons – Mike Cladingbowl

A summary by Mike Cladingbowl, National Director, Schools.   Earlier this year, I wrote about why inspectors observe lessons and how they evaluate teaching in schools. I hope it helped…

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pupil attainment

Pupil attainment: Sir Michael Wilshaw speech

The topic for discussion is one that is very close to my heart – simply because I’ve spent my entire professional career trying to raise pupil attainment in inner-city schools….

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Does longer hours at the chalk face improve Achievement and Pupil Progress?

I felt so incensed by Michael Gove’s call to extend the teaching day in state schools and Daniel Hannan’s article in the Telegraph written in support that I felt the…

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Tick box teaching – should teachers start with the learning objectives?

Once upon a time in a not too distant land a group of ex-teachers turned inspectors decided to interpret the research of a group of educational researchers at Kings. They…

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Ofsted Outstanding

70% Schools & Colleges Good or Ofsted Outstanding

In September 2012 Ofsted reached its 20th anniversary. Twenty years ago, we did not know what the state of the nation was in terms of the quality of its provision,…

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good teacher

What OFSTED Says makes a good teacher (Part 1)

Here follows a transcript of what Michael Wilshaw, the head of OFSTED, actually said to the RSA when asked to describe a good teacher.   Perhaps I can start by…

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assessing progress

Assessing Progress- how does Ofsted do it?

Extracts from OFSTED Briefing: Assessing progress   All learners make rapid and sustained progress with depth to be outstanding.   They are looking at progress, not attainment   RAISE online…

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What does an Outstanding lesson plan look like?

  As an INSET trainer I get asked this question all the time. When teachers attend courses or are observed by me as part of my consultancy work in schools…

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