"Stalled standards" and Ofsted reform

Ofsted are proposing changes to their inspection regime from September 2009 and have opened consultation on their suggestions.

Key points in the proposals:

- Different inspections, suited to the school's previous inspection, with a focus on schools which are not improving:

- Good and outstanding schools will receive an inspection within 6 years (with a small "health check" at a mid-point);

- Satisfactory schools within 3 years;

- Satisfactory schools which are not improving, will receive a monitoring visit within 12-18 months and a full inspection in 3 years;

- Inadequate Notice to Improve will receive a monitoring visit within 6-8 months and full inspection in 3 years.

- Special Measures, two or three monitoring visits per year.

- Parents will have more say over whether their school should be inspected.

- Increased focus on the progress made by different types of students (those typically likely to fall behind).
- Explore whether the possibility of "no-notice" inspections are feasible (this has been criticised by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, cited on BBC News).

- Reporting on the contribution the school makes towards community cohesion.

- Assessing that leadership and management ensure that teaching has an impact on learning; equality, diversity and cohesion are taken into account; parents and students views are taken into account; the curriculum meets the needs of learners; resources are used well and learners are well supported.

There was discussion in parliament after ofsted said that standards in schools have stalled:

"If education in England is going to compare favourably with the best in the world, standards need to improve. In fact they have stalled,"

Watch debate from BBC news