Ofsted inspectors evaluate teaching based on its impact on student learning and progress. They look for evidence that all students are being challenged and engaged in their learning, making progress regardless of teaching style. Inspectors want to see frequent assessment being used to set relevant work, and that new technologies enhance learning when present. To achieve an outstanding rating, schools must demonstrate consistency across subjects, high levels of progress for all students including those on free school meals, and that the most able students achieve the highest results.

1. What inspectors are looking for
and how you can climb the ladder
to outstanding
Anthony Briggs

2. Disclaimer
The opinions and views
expressed in this
presentation are entirely
personal and do not
represent, in any way, the
opinions or views of Ofsted,
the Department for
Education, or their agents.

3. Ofsted states:
 The key objective of lesson
observations is to evaluate the quality
of teaching and its impact on learning
 When observing and judging
teaching, inspectors must be guided
by the response and engagement of
pupils and evidence of how well they
are learning

4. Teaching is judged by its:
IMPACT!!!!!

5. Key Question:
What makes a
good lesson?

6. Answer:
Good Progress!

7. There are many routes to
excellence
Inspectors must not give the
impression that Ofsted favours a
particular teaching style.
Key questions:
 Are all pupils being challenged?
 Are all pupils making progress?
 Are all pupils at least engaged
and at best inspired?

8. Ignacio Estrada

9. Sir Michael Wilshaw HMCI, States:
 “We are putting power firmly in the hands
of the classroom teacher to determine how
they should teach. We do not - let me
repeat, not - have any preferred teaching
style.”
 “No one from outside school - least of all
Ofsted - is going to tell teachers how to
teach as long as children are learning,
progressing and achieving good
outcomes.”

10. Sir Michael Wilshaw HMCI, States:
 “We are putting power firmly in the hands
of the classroom teacher to determine how
they should teach. We do not - let me
repeat, not - have any preferred teaching
style.”
 “No one from outside school - least of all
Ofsted - is going to tell teachers how to
teach as long as children are learning,
progressing and achieving good
outcomes.”

11. Inspectors must consider whether:
 teaching engages and includes all
pupils, with work that is challenging
enough for all pupils and that meets
their individual needs
 pupils’ responses demonstrate sufficient
gains in their knowledge, skills and
understanding
 teachers check pupils’ progress in
lessons and use the information well to
adapt their teaching

12. Inspectors must consider whether:
 teachers use questioning and discussion
to assess the effectiveness of their
teaching and promote pupils’ learning
 assessment is frequent and accurate
and used to set relevant work
 new technologies enhance learning
 Not all aspects of learning may be seen
in a single observation

13. What inspectors look for:
 Are students involved in assessing their
own learning and progress?
 Do students have targets and do they
understand what they mean and know
what to do to achieve them?
 Do they ask questions of each other, the
teacher or other adults about what they
are learning?

14. Outstanding behaviour
 Pupils’ consistently display a thirst
for knowledge and a love of learning
which have a very strong impact on
their progress in lessons.
 Pupils’ attitudes to learning are of
an equally high standard across
subjects, years, classes and with
different staff.

15. Inspectors don’t want to see:
 teachers performing to the
inspector
 lessons that are too crowded, too
frenetic, with too many activities
designed to impress
 teachers constantly stopping pupils’
learning in order to check whether
or not those pupils are actually
learning

16. Climbing the ladder
 Consistency
 Challenge and engagement
 Accountability
 Focus on achievement for all
 A curriculum that results in a thirst
for knowledge
 Inspirational leadership

17. Climbing the ladder
 Pupils make high levels of progress
from their different starting points
 No gaps between Pupil premium
and Non-Pupil premium
 The most able achieving the highest
levels possible

18. Questions?

19. Thank You!
 The test of a good teacher is not
how many questions he can ask his
pupils that they will answer readily,
but how many questions he inspires
them to ask him which he finds it
hard to answer
Alice Wellington Rollins

20. What inspectors are looking for
and how you can climb the ladder
to outstanding
Anthony Briggs