The Alternative Big Listen
Giving a chance to comment on how successful Ofsted is and how it should change its inspections for schools/Post 16 settings.
Giving a chance to comment on how successful Ofsted is and how it should change its inspections for schools/Post 16 settings.
The Alternative Big Listen has been established by Prof Colin Richards and Frank Norris MBE. They have been joined by a host of leading figures in education who believe the current Big Listen implemented by Ofsted does not consider changes that many believe are essential to improve the inspection process for schools and other education settings. The Alternative Big Listen provides the opportunity for everyone to comment fully and openly. Unlike Ofsted's Big Listen this survey focuses on school and Post 16 inspections.
This is the link to The Alternative Big Listen
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/22SCKCG
We encourage everyone to respond to the official Big Listen consultation but please complete The Alternative Big Listen as well.
The Alternative Big Listen relating to School and Post 16 Inspections
Since 1992 Ofsted has been tasked with inspecting all state-funded educational settings in England. Over thirty years on it has now become the centre of intense and often critical professional and media scrutiny.
The recently-appointed chief inspector has responded by commissioning a so-called “Big Listen” to gauge how much professional and public support there is for Ofsted’s current -intentions and policies. However, it does not allow respondents to judge how successful Ofsted has been in fulfilling those intentions nor does it provide a clear steer in terms of a preferred approach.
This “Alternative Big Listen” offers an opportunity to remedy these major deficiencies by asking respondents to review Ofsted’s current and past performance. It includes some of the key questions asked by Ofsted so that we can compare the responses. The Alternative Big Listen has been created by several former HMI all committed to the principle of inspection but also its reform and renewal in the light of thirty or so years of experience of Ofsted.
The Alternative Big Listen findings will be published in full later in the year. This will enable the education profession, parents and politicians to compare Ofsted’s stated intentions with its success or otherwise in realising them. They will, or should, inform the development of a more responsive future inspection system.
This is the link to The Alternative Big Listen
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/22SCKCG
If you would like to support The Alternative Big Listen then please use your social media feeds to alert others and share the survey website address www.thealternativebiglisten.co.uk
The survey will close on 12 June 2024
If you experience any technical or accessibility concerns, please contact us at Administrator@thealternativebiglisten.co.uk
Other supporters of The Alternative Big Listen include:
Prof Julia Waters
Harmer Parr Retired HMI
Stewart Robertson Retired HMI
John Parson Retired HMI
Simon Clements Retired HMI
Tom Wylie Retired HMI
Simon Clements Former HMI
Debbie Clinton Former HMI and CEO
Julie Price Grimshaw, Former HMI
Adrian Lyons, Former HMI
Helena McVeigh Former HMI
Pam Glynn Headteacher
Kendra Allen, Education Consultant
Jan Rowe Liverpool John Moores Univ
Terry Pearson Former Senior Leader and Researcher
Ros McMullen, Former CEO
Stephen Tierney Education Consultant and Former Headteacher
Fiona Millar Governor and Journalist
Bryn Llewellyn Author and Former Headteacher
Dr Vic Carr Headteacher
Glyn Potts Headteacher
Edmund Barnett-Ward Governor at Caversham Primary School
Andy Mellor Academic and Former Headteacher
Dave McPartlin Headteacher
Jonny Uttley CEO
Prof Rachel Lofthouse
Christian Bunting Director of 50 Things to do before your 5
Ruth Swailes Adviser,former Headteacher and inspector
Here is the link to The Alternative Big Listen Survey
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/22SCKCG
FRANK NORRIS
Frank Norris was a Headteacher in Trafford and Cheshire. He was appointed HMI in 2001 and in 2004, led the introduction of HMI as front-line school inspectors and developed detailed grade descriptors to support more consistent judgement-making. In 2005 he was a key figure in the introduction of short inspections and the development of the online self-evaluation form.
He was appointed as a senior Ofsted manager responsible for local authority inspections and in 2009, was promoted to Divisional Manager for Education and Care leading the development of the two school inspection frameworks that were introduced in 2012. He was appointed senior school improvement adviser for Stockport MBC in September 2012. In 2013 he became the Coop Group's Education Director and in 2014 was appointed CEO of the Co-op Academies Trust. In September 2019, Frank stood down from the CEO role and became the Co-op’s adviser on education and school matters. He was awarded an MBE in the summer of 2019 for his services to education. He was appointed the Northern Powerhouse Partnership's adviser on education and skills in 2019. He is currently a trustee and chair of finance at the Great Academies and Education Trust and Vice Chair of the Liverpool Education Board. He was the independent chair of the Blackpool Education Improvement Board between 2020 and 2004 and chair of the Priority Education Investment Area Board up to November 2023. He is on the advisory Board of InnovateHer, a not-for-profit organisation committed to ensuring more women play an active and senior role in digital and tech companies.
COLIN RICHARDS
Since resigning from Ofsted after a very public dispute with its chief inspector, Colin Richards has been Honorary Professor at the University of Warwick, Visiting Professor at the Universities of Leicester and Newcastle and is currently Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Cumbria.
Following a career in primary and university teacher education he was the first person to be seconded to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate in 1980.. From 1983 to 1996 as an HMI he specialised in primary education and teacher education and held the post of Staff Inspector (Curriculum 5-16) followed by that of Staff Inspector (Primary Education) and Ofsted’s Specialist Adviser for Primary Education.
Since leaving Ofsted he has maintained a keen but critical interest in the issues of standards, primary and secondary education, the school curriculum, governance and inspection.. He has been chair of governors of a Cumbrian secondary school which has voted twice not to seek academy status and he has been a National Leader of Governance. He is also a member of the New Visions in Education Group and tweets as @colinsparkbridg
As a critic of much (though not all) of past and present government education policy he is a frequent contributor to the national press (in particular to the Guardian, the Observer, the Independent, the New Statesman, the Times Educational Supplement and Schools Week). He treasures the epithet “an old-fashioned HMI” bestowed on him by a former chief inspector of schools who meant it as a damning criticism!
FORMER SENIOR OFSTED INSPECTORS SET UP ALTERNATIVE BIG LISTEN SURVEY
Two former senior government inspectors, who believe Ofsted’s recently announced consultation avoids some of the important issues around school inspections, have set up their own survey.
Prof Colin Richards and Frank Norris MBE have created the Alternative Big Listen as a means of gathering the responses to questions Ofsted has not asked and also gather views on the overall effectiveness of the school inspection regime.
Following the tragic death of Ruth Perry, the Headteacher at Caversham Primary School and the publication of the Coroner’s Report Ofsted launched the Big Listen to gather views on inspection.
Frank Norris said: “When we completed the official survey, we were both shocked, and sadly not surprised, to see the way the questions had been couched. It was hard to disagree with the leading questions, but it was also frustrating to not be able to get to the heart of the issues. We hope the Alternative Big Listen will be a more insightful survey.
“So far, over 10k responses have been made to the official questionnaire but many have noted that some important elements of inspection are not part of the survey including the use of single word/phrase for judging effectiveness and the usefulness of current inspection reports.”
“That is why we have decided to give those involved in schools and Post 16 settings the opportunity to express their views and include a chance to comment on Ofsted’s effectiveness. This is something the Big Listen avoids.”
Colin Richards added: “We both believe in the value of inspection and although Frank and I don’t agree on all the changes needed we do believe it is important that the profession and those interested in education have the chance to comment on all aspects and not just the ones Ofsted chooses.”
Julia Waters, Ruth Perry’s sister, who is supporting the Alternative Big Listen, said: “The case for radical reform of Ofsted is overwhelming. But in order to find the right solutions to the numerous flaws in the current inspection system, it is vital that the right questions are asked.
“Unlike the official Big Listen, the Alternative Big Listen ensures these questions are explicitly ‘on the table’. I hope the answers received send a clear message to Ofsted and the government about the direction reform must take, to ensure the reformed schools inspection system will be truly safe and fit for purpose.”
Frank and Colin have been joined by education thinkers, leaders and other former HMI and have created an online survey that opens today (1 May) and closes on 12 June. The intention is to share openly and transparently the outcomes of the alternative survey and to do so in a way that may influence Ofsted’s response to their survey findings.
You can respond to The Alternative Big Listen at www.thealternativebiglisten.co.uk
This survey is being administered by Prof Colin Richards and Frank Norris MBE using a survey system provided by a third party, SurveyMonkey.
Participation in this survey is voluntary and anonymous. We will not be able to identify you by the information you provide to us.
As the survey is anonymous, we will not be able to remove your response once you have submitted it. But if you wish to withdraw, you may do so at any point during the survey before you complete it.
Please do not use the free text boxes to disclose information about safeguarding concerns. You should raise safeguarding concerns through your organisation’s processes, in line with the Department for Education’s statutory guidance set out in ‘Keeping children safe in education’ or by contacting Ofsted through enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk or 0300 123 1231.
By continuing with this survey, you consent to the transfer of your responses to questions from SurveyMonkey to Prof Colin Richards and Frank Norris MBE.
The information you provide in this survey will only be used for consultation and research to help better understand how well Ofsted is working and how it might improve.
Copyright © 2024 Thealternativebiglisten - All Rights Reserved.
Powered by GoDaddy