Parents: 7.45 a.m. So, the Age 5 trousers look a little short but the Age 6 trousers are dragging on the ground – which looks least stupid?

8.15 a.m. Before the summer I had 14 water bottles, now I only have 1… which kid do I like most?

8.30 a.m. Can’t believe we’re going to be late on the very first day. If I was a pair of black school shoes where would I have put myself for six weeks?

8.45 a.m. Can’t wait to see my mummy friends again… Ooh, and yes of course, hope you have a lovely first day back, darling!  

Kids:

6.00 a.m. Yep, I’m awake. I think I’ll go and jump on mummy.

7.45 a.m. I want a chocolate biscuit for breakfast. No, not cereals. No, not toast. No, not even Pain au chocolat. I want a Wagonwheeeeeeeeellll!

8.30 a.m. Why is mummy in such a flap about this? I wish she’d stop asking where I put my shoes – that was like YEARS ago.

8.45 a.m. Yay! It’s like a giant reunion party.

9.30 a.m. I miss my old teacher

3.15 p.m. I LOVE my new teacher!  

Teachers:

8.30 a.m. Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more

8.45 a.m. Are you going to be a problem, Mrs Parent?

8.50 a.m. Name labels. Need name labels!

10.00 a.m. Blur

11.00 a.m. Blur

12.00 p.m. Blur

1.00 p.m. Blur

2.00 p.m. Blur

3.15 p.m. Must match children to correct parent. Aaaarggh, escapee. Back ‘ere, Jones!

3.30 p.m. Only six more parents in the line to see me.

3.45 p.m. Shattered!

The updated Ofsted Common Inspection Framework (CIF) was launched on 11 June for inspections from September 2015. Until the end of the current term schools will be inspected under the 2012 framework (last updated in January 2015).

The new CIF is designed to pull together the inspection of the different education settings (early years setting, maintained schools and academies, non-association independent schools and further education and skills providers) ‘to provide greater coherence across different providers that cater for similar age ranges’.

Between the framework, the Inspectors' handbook, and a plethora of supporting material to assist schools with its roll-out and assimilation, there is quite a lot to wade through, so here is a quick summary of the most important points:

Slight shift in judgement areas

• Ofsted will now make graded judgements in the following areas (2012 judgement areas in brackets). The same judgement areas will be used in all education settings.
• Overall effectiveness (Overall effectiveness)
• Effectiveness of leadership and management (Leadership and management)
• Personal development, behaviour and welfare (Behaviour and safety of pupils)
• Quality of teaching, learning and assessment (Quality of teaching)
• Outcomes for pupils (Achievement of pupils)

Increased emphasis on safeguarding

Safeguarding is now reported under Leadership and Management. There will also be a greater emphasis on the notion of ‘British values’ (already included in the January edition) which include ‘tolerance’ and ‘respect’.

The personal development section also includes a reference to extremism – ‘understand how to keep themselves safe from relevant risks such as exploitation or extremism, including when using the internet’.

Shorter inspections for good schools

Short inspections for schools judged as being ‘good’ in their last inspection are being introduced. These new shorter inspections will start from the assumption that the school is still good, with an emphasis on leadership.

The onus is therefore on the leaders to provide sufficient evidence to HMI that this is the case, with a full inspection to follow only if HMI do not see enough during the short visit to be convinced.

Focus areas

The launch of the new CIF was heralded by a speech delivered by Sir Michael Wilshaw to Westminister outlining the principles of the document and talking about the future of education inspection.

In it, he outlined a number of key focus areas that inspectors would be looking at. In his own words, these are:

• Have the leaders got a grip on the institution? Do they fully understand its strengths and weaknesses?
• Have they communicated their strategy for raising standards to the key stakeholders?
• Are they focussed on what really benefits children and young people, rather than wasting their time endlessly preparing for an Ofsted inspection which could be years away?
• Do they refuse to accept excuses for underachievement and are they prepared to go the extra mile to compensate for family background?
• Are they simply presiders over the status quo, content to take the path of least resistance or are they prepared to challenge staff and students to do better?
• Have they built, or are they developing, a culture that is calm, orderly and aspirational?
• Are they, for example, people who tolerate scrappy worksheets? Or are they people who insist that children should have good materials to work with, including textbooks, readers and library books which they can use for classwork and homework?

Dispelling the myths

Alongside the inspection handbook/document is an additional paper clarifying the facts about Ofsted inspections and attempting to dispel the ‘myths’ surrounding inspection preparation, a key source of stress for teachers and school leaders. Ofsted does not:

• Require schools to show individual or previous lesson plans
• Require details of the pay grade of individual teachers
• Require evidence for inspection beyond what is set out in the inspection handbook
• Expect to see a particular frequency or quantity of work in pupils’ books or folders
• Require the performance and pupil-tracking data and school or college self-evaluations to be presented in a specific format
• Grade individual lessons

This guidance has been well received by teachers and teaching unions. as evidence that Ofsted is recognising - and seeking to address - both the mental toll and the considerable demands on teachers' time that inspection has been taking in recent years.

What about assessment?

From September 2015 schools are required to show how they are managing and measuring attainment and progress now that they are no longer using levels to measure attainment.

Inspectors will consider how well teachers use any assessment for establishing pupils’ starting points, teacher assessment and testing to modify teaching so that pupils achieve their potential by the end of a year or key stage. However, Ofsted does not expect to see any particular system of assessment in place.

Evidence of in-year progress and attainment information should be provided to inspectors in the format that the school would ordinarily use to track and monitor the progress of pupils in the school.

Reference is made many times in the document to 'Schools' own Assessment Policies'. As part of the good practice in school policy update and review, schools are well-advised to have their assessment, marking and feedback policies updated and in place by the start of the Autumn term.

Find out more how Pearson can support you with assessment with our new service Progress & Assess.

Image credit: Robert Kneschke. Shutterstock

1. In a triumph of hope over experience you will be imagining six weeks of glorious sunshine and brilliant blue skies, and will spend most of the break waiting expectantly for summer to actually arrive, before finally admitting defeat on 26 August.

2. In the first week of the holidays you will get a cold as you finally allow yourself to relax.

3. Luckily, you’ve got a mountain of chocolate from your pupils to keep your spirits high for at least a couple of weeks. (Oh OK, two nights with the latest box-set on the telly).

4. The two days where the sun really does put in an appearance you’ll be so unused to it you’ll forget your sun-cream and end up just a tiny bit crisped (in spite of all your warnings to your pupils over the last term!).

5. If travelling anywhere by ferry you are bound to bump into one of your pupils past or present (and their parents…), especially if it’s a long crossing. Get a cabin!

6. You will lose track of the number of people who tell you how lucky you are to have such a long holiday, but lose the will after the first one to explain how many extra hours you put in the rest of the year.

7. No matter how good your holiday was, that first night back in your home and your own bed is as comforting as hot chocolate and marshmallows.

8. That Sunday evening feeling will probably start somewhere around the time you finally realise that summer’s not going to show. Although if you have children of your own, you may actually be looking forward to going back to work…

9. You secretly love it when the shops fill up with stationery. Ooh, all those different coloured gel pens, geometry sets and pristine pads of paper... it’s like Christmas, but better.

10. You’re feeling a little bit sad about the children you’ve just got to know over the past year moving on, but also excited about getting to know your new bunch. They’re the reason you do it, after all.

Megan Turner, a 17-year-old engineering student from Loughborough, has won the Overall Outstanding BTEC Student of the Year at the National BTEC Awards.

The awards ceremony will take place this afternoon (Thursday 5th July) in London and will be hosted by Reggie Yates co-host of the BBC’s The Voice.

The 2nd annual National BTEC Awards provide a platform for students, teachers, schools and colleges to celebrate their outstanding achievements in vocational learning.

Nearly one million students around the country are studying BTEC qualifications this year. Pearson, the parent company of Edexcel, the awarding body for BTECs, received over 500 nominations across the 15 award categories for this year’s awards.

The winners announced today include:

Outstanding BTEC Student of the Year: Megan Turner, Loughborough College. Megan is expected to be awarded a D*D*D* in her BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Engineering. The judges were impressed that Megan had balanced her studies with developing links with local primary schools, encouraging more girls into engineering. As part of her BTEC, Megan has also begun working with Loughborough University on a pioneering engineering project which could have commercial applications in the future. On applying to Aston University to study a Design Engineering degree the admissions tutor recommended Megan enter directly on to their Masters programme due to the industrial experience her BTEC qualification had already provided.

Anne Markland, who teaches Performing Arts at Preston College is the Outstanding BTEC Teacher of the Year. Judges praised Anne’s outstanding commitment to her students who constantly exceed their expected grades. In her own time she also arranges numerous school trips abroad and external shows for her students. Anne has also worked tirelessly to develop links with local special schools, developing projects involving both able bodied students and those with physical disabilities. She also assists her students through the UCAS application system, with many going on to pursue their passion for Performing Arts at university.

Outstanding BTEC School/College of the Year: Ashton 6th Form College. Ashton’s Children Care Learning and Development Department currently boasts a 100% pass rate across all programmes and an 84% progression rate to Higher Education. Judges felt these fantastic progression rates were also partly the result of the numerous university visits, preparation sessions and inspirational talks from industry leaders, organised for the students.

Outstanding BTEC Adult Learner: Tawa Atanda, City College Coventry. Tawa, desperate to find fashionable clothes post pregnancy, was inspired to pursue a fashion/textile course to gain skills and experience to set up her own fashion label. Whilst studying at college she has already received a total of 14 Distinctions and 2 merit grades on the BTEC Extended Diploma in Fashion and is expected to gain a DDD on her final award. She has used her final major project to produce a women’s wear collection, using traditional printed fabric from Nigeria targeted at 18-25 year olds balancing Western and African styles. She is currently working with the Sandwell Woman’s Enterprise Agency to set up her own fashion business.

The Awards will be hosted by Radio 1 DJ and The Voice host Reggie Yates, at The Royal Horticultural Halls in London and will be attended by nominated students, teachers, and leaders in education. David Willetts MP, Minister of State for Universities and Science will also speak at the ceremony.

David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science, said:

“These awards rightly celebrate the practical skills and knowledge which will help our economy grow and remain competitive with the rest of the world.

“I congratulate all of this year’s award winners who have shown tremendous dedication in their work and who can all be very proud of what they have achieved.”

Rod Bristow, President, Pearson UK said,

“I am delighted the National BTEC Awards are now in their second year and going from strength to strength. In a modern economy with complex and rapidly shifting skills needs, we need practitioners who understand the theory, and academics who can put things into practice. BTEC aims to give students access to that kind of rounded education.

“More and more universities and employers are telling us that they value that rounded approach. Every year, thousands of BTEC students go on to great universities and fantastic jobs that really value their skills. They achieve great things in a wide variety of industries vital to the economy, ranging from business and engineering to ICT and healthcare.

“It is vital to support and celebrate the hard work and achievements of outstanding BTEC students and their teachers. All the judges were impressed by the quality and number of nominations we received.”

Awards host, Radio One DJ Reggie Yates said,

“I’m really excited to be part of this year’s National BTEC Awards. To succeed in my industry and any other you need to set yourself high ambitions and work hard to hone the right skills and knowledge. You need to be able to deliver on the day, not just know the theory.

“All the winners today have shown real passion and commitment to achieving their goals and deserve to be put on a pedestal as an inspiration to others.”

About the awards

The full list of winners of the National BTEC Awards will be formally announced at the ceremony on 5th July 2012, but please contact Sam Cunningham for more information if you wish to speak to specific winners.

The full list of categories is as follows:

Sector Awards

Outstanding BTEC Business and Enterprise Student
Outstanding BTEC IT Student
Outstanding BTEC Media Student
Outstanding BTEC Science and Engineering Student
Outstanding BTEC Creative Art & Design Student
Outstanding BTEC Child & Social Care Student
Outstanding BTEC Sport Student
Outstanding BTEC Performing Arts Student
Outstanding BTEC Beauty and Hospitality Student

Main Awards

Outstanding BTEC Student of the Year
Outstanding BTEC Teacher / Tutor of the Year
Outstanding BTEC School / College of the Year
Outstanding BTEC Adult Learner of the Year
Outstanding BTEC Apprentice of the Year (16-18 )
Outstanding Adult BTEC Apprentice of the Year (19+)
Most Innovative BTEC Apprenticeship Provider of the Year

The judging panel for the Awards included:

Sandra Kelly - Whitbread
Euthan Newman - BTEC Tutor, South Thames College
Nick Linford - Editor, FE Week
Stephen Exley – Reporter, TES
Maryam Momla – Current Apprentice
Rod Bristow - President, Pearson UK
Rod Smith - MD Vocational, Pearson
Trevor Luker - MD WBL, Pearson (Apprentice awards only)

Find out more about the National BTEC Awards

An Education Select Committee report on the examination system has rejected moves to a single national exam board or to single boards for each subject.

The Committee suggests that there should be a single national syllabus for each subject which would be accredited by the regulator, Ofqual, with every exam board able to set question papers against that syllabus.

Rod Bristow, President of Pearson UK said:

“This is a thoughtful and rounded report, which tackles a number of complex issues in a sensitive and balanced way.

“It is vital that we address the public perception that competition between awarding organisations leads to downward pressure on standards. Pearson is committed to being a partner in making the changes necessary to enable this. Nothing is more important than ensuring that the effort of pupils is rewarded with qualifications which everyone is confident represent the very best in educational standards, at home and abroad.

“Awarding organisations already work closely with higher education, learned societies and employers to ensure that specifications support progression. However, the “National Syllabus” approach could deepen this and is worthy of further discussion. We welcome the intention to ensure that incentives to innovation in assessment, exam administration and support for schools remain strong, since we believe there is much scope to build on the progress of the last decade in this area.

“A high quality and challenging curriculum needs to be accompanied by engaging and effective resources to bring them to life. Our endorsement procedures ensure we reward books which encourage broad and stretching teaching and learning. Pearson’s internal firewalls ensure that employees who have a responsibility for publishing have no knowledge of what will be on a given year’s exam paper. As the Report notes, Pearson is also currently considering approaches to contain the authoring activities of our senior examiners. We are in discussion with the regulator on this matter, and we will work with them to ensure public confidence in the system, and in Pearson, is assured. We note, too, the Committee’s recommendation on the treatment of other publishers’ resources on our website, and will reflect this.

“We agree with the Committee that change cannot be pursued in isolation to reforms of the accountability system, which needs revision to reward schools for achieving high expectations for all learners, and offering a rounded education.”

Following reports that Michael Gove wants to replace GCSEs with O-level style exams, we had this to say.

A Pearson spokesperson said:

“We look forward to seeing further details of the proposals discussed by the Secretary of State today.

“We have repeatedly stated our commitment to working with Government to build a resilient examinations system which upholds high standards and has the confidence of the public. This is in the best interests of the hundreds of thousands of pupils who sit examinations in the UK each year.

“It is right that the education system is challenged to reach for the standards achieved by our peers globally. We can and should be ambitious for all children and we support a system which delivers that.

“We would have serious reservations about any approach which sets lower expectations for some at the age of 14. A new approach needs careful consideration to ensure it encourages high aspirations and expectations across the board, and doesn’t lower our ambitions for some students.”