Sean Harford, Ofsted's National Director, Education, gave this presentation at the University of York in October 2017

1. Curriculum, assessment and
inspection
At the University of York Huntington Research School:
20 October 2017
Sean Harford HMI
National Director, Education
Follow on Twitter: @HarfordSean
Curriculum, assessment and inspection Slide 1

2. Session overview
Curriculum, assessment and inspection Slide 2
 Curriculum survey work
 Developing the new inspection framework
 In the meantime…
 Questions?

3. Curriculum survey work
Curriculum, assessment and inspection Slide 3
 Purposes and principles of the work:
 Influence wider thinking – role and importance of the curriculum
 Inform and reflect on inspection policy
 Inform policy making in Department for Education – influence of
national policy levers
 Framework for the survey
 Intent, implementation and impact at…
 National, school and classroom levels
 Defining the curriculum…

4. Working definition of the curriculum
‘The curriculum is a framework for setting out the aims of a
programme of education, including the knowledge and
understanding to be gained at each stage (intent); for
translating that framework over time into a structure and
narrative, within an institutional context (implementation)
and for evaluating what knowledge and understanding pupils
have gained against expectations (impact).’
Curriculum, assessment and inspection Slide 4

5. HMCI’s commentary
 Education as substance – but importance of testing and qualifications
 Support for the new SATs, GCSEs and A Levels – rigour
 Symbiosis of these and a good curriculum
 Challenge to the inspectorate – recognition of part played
 Lack of a common understanding of language – e.g. ‘skills’, ‘themed’, ‘B&B’
 Lack of curriculum development training leading to expertise in schools
 KS2 narrowing; the point of KS3; KS4 low attainers’ curriculum
 What’s next for the survey?
Curriculum, assessment and inspection Slide 5

6. The new framework
 Build on the curriculum work
 Build on other research work – see the new Ofsted strategy
 Allow time to develop and engage with the sectors
 Allow time for sectors to adjust, so…
 …start in September 2019
Curriculum, assessment and inspection Slide 6

7. In the meantime, schools need to…
 …know their curriculum – design and intent
 …know how their curriculum is being implemented
 …know what impact their curriculum is having on pupils’
knowledge and understanding
 Need for numbers, measures, feedback, marking? Up to the school –
best way of ‘knowing’ (not ‘demonstrating’) the above?
Curriculum, assessment and inspection Slide 7

8. Thank you!
Curriculum, assessment and inspection Slide 8

9. Ofsted on the web and on social media
www.gov.uk/ofsted
https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk
www.linkedin.com/company/ofsted
www.youtube.com/ofstednews
www.slideshare.net/ofstednews
www.twitter.com/ofstednews
Curriculum, assessment and inspection Slide 9