Little Heath School could face re-inspection after Ofsted changes

Ofsted has proposed that schools with an “outstanding” overall status must also have been rated as having an “outstanding” quality of teaching overall.
Little Heath School, in Little Heath Road, Tilehurst, is currently the only school in West Berkshire which has a “outstanding” rating overall but not in its quality of teaching.
The school last underwent a full inspected by Ofsted in February 2009, when it was given a glowing report, stating: “Little Heath School provides an outstanding education for its students. Provision and outcomes in the large sixth form are exceptional. What is truly striking about the school is its exemplary care, guidance and support which underpin the outstanding personal development of its students.”
The inspector went on to state: “Many parents have highlighted the exceptionally caring nature of the school. One parent summed this up when commenting, 'I am very impressed with the dedication of teaching staff who genuinely care about the children.' The outstanding curriculum is continually developing and is very well adapted to the needs of students and the increasing numbers of students in the sixth form.”
However, its quality of teaching was ranked overall as “good”, which could affect the school’s overall ‘outstanding’ status in future if proposals by Ofsted’s new chief inspector, Sir Michael Wilshaw, to raise expectations for outstanding schools come to fruition.
Sir Michael, who is also proposing to replace the ‘satisfactory’ judgement with ‘requires improvement’, said: “We need clear and demanding criteria for a school to be judged ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’. A good school should have at least good teaching, and an outstanding school should have outstanding teaching. Good and outstanding leadership of teaching and learning drives improvement and knows that the culture of the school and the progress of pupils depend on it.”
The Ofsted inspector in 2009 had said of Little Heath: “Most teaching and learning is typically good or better. A significant proportion is outstanding. Relationships between teachers and students are very good, with lessons containing a good variety of activities closely matched to individual needs.” It went on to state that teaching and learning in the sixth form was “outstanding”, but despite this praise, if Sir Michael’s proposals go ahead then Little Heath will face re-inspection and possible downgrading overall.
When approached by the NewburyToday.co.uk, the headteacher of the school declined to comment on what effect a re-inspection or change in its ‘outstanding’ status could have on the school, its staff and pupils.
Ofsted is also proposing that information about performance management in a school should be gathered as part of the inspection process so that the relationship between reward and quality of teaching in a school can be fully understood.
The consultation on these proposals will run until May 3, with Ofsted hoping to implement its proposed changes from September.
For more details on the consultation, visit www.ofsted.gov.uk