Information update - June 2012

We hope you are enjoying the Jubilee celebrations and a happy half term break. If you have some spare time and are wondering what to do, why not check out some of the recent publications and legislation that have been published by the Government and Ofsted.

• First of all, the new Guide to the Law (for maintained schools) - with a brand new chapter on academy conversion!
• The School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 - which set out what must statutorily be published on the school's website from 1 September 2012.

• A DfE publication - Myths and Facts for schools (updated 1 May 2012)

• A new publication produced by the Education Funding Agency, setting out the Procedure for dealing with complaints about Academies

• The report published in response to the Ofsted consultation - a huge thank you to everyone who responded to the consultation - Ofsted seemed to listen to school's concerns, at least in part.

The following inspection proposals will be implemented from September 2012.

Ofsted will:

• require ‘outstanding' schools to have ‘outstanding' teaching
• define an acceptable standard of education as being ‘good'
• replace the current ‘satisfactory' judgement with ‘requires improvement' where schools are not inadequate but are not yet providing a good standard of education
• replace the ‘notice to improve' category with ‘serious weaknesses'
• introduce earlier full re-inspection of schools judged as ‘requires improvement'

• usually limit the number of times schools can be deemed to ‘require improvement' to two consecutive inspections before they are judged ‘inadequate' and deemed to require ‘special measures'

• shorten the notice it gives of an inspection (schools notified the previous afternoon)
• request that schools provide anonymised information of the outcomes of the most recent performance management of all teachers

Last but not least, have you booked your place at the  Essex Clerks' Annual Conference? "Supporting Effective School Governance"

Wednesday, 27 June 2012 ~ Weston Homes Community Stadium, Colchester

Schools' Learning and Development and Governor Services in partnership with the Essex Clerks' Association

Please find attached the conference application form which includes further information, workshops and programme. Please return your application by Wednesday 13 June 2012

Email: schools-ld@essex.gov.uk Fax: 01245 436214

Post: P.O. Box 47, County Hall, Chelmsford, CM2 6WN

Enquiries: 01245 434300