This document discusses several issues with the current accountability system in education and poses questions about how to address them. It notes that around 8,000 students disappear from school rolls between years 10 and 11. It asks how accountability is impacting curriculum narrowing, teacher workload and retention, and what policy proposals could mitigate these effects. The document questions whether inspection is an effective use of funds and what valid judgements can be made in one to two days. It proposes reconsidering accountability metrics to recognize school autonomy and evaluating different accountability systems.

1. Accountability

2. • Approx. 8,000 students disappear off secondary
school roles from Summer in Y10 to Spring Term in
Y11
• What is happening to pupil numbers in Y5 and Y6 in
primary schools?
• What is the impact in Special Schools/Alternative
Provision & Elective Home Education?
What policy proposals should we make
to address these issues?
Inclusive Accountability

3. • How damaging is accountability in terms of
narrowing the primary curriculum? Secondary
curriculum? Special school curriculum?
• What impact is accountability having on workload?
How can this be mitigated?
• What impact is accountability having on teacher
recruitment & retention? How can this be
mitigated?
What policy proposals should we make
to address these issues?
Perverse Impact of Accountability

4. Accountability must have a direct positive impact on the
standards of education
• What should be the future of inspection?
• Is the overall impact of Ofsted positive, negative or
neutral?
• What can Ofsted realistically inspect in one/two days?
What valid and reliable judgements can it make?
• Is inspection of good schools an effective use of public
money? What alternatives exist?
What policy proposals should we make
to address these questions?
Effective & Efficient Accountability

5. Accountability must have a direct positive impact on the
standards of education
• Is it effective & efficient for Ofsted & RSCs to operate
discrete accountability systems & processes
• How should accountability change to recognise a more
autonomous school-led system? Formation of MATs?
• What metrics should be used to judge the standards of
education provided by schools/ academies/LAs/MATs?
• What else do we need to consider?
What policy proposals should we make
to address these questions?
Effective & Efficient Accountability