2010 UK Ofsted inspection report on phonics teaching
Posted: Sun Nov 14, 2010 3:38 pm
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Pu ... ools-do-it
This is very interesting - showing that we have come a long way since the days when I was challenging Ofsted for lack of transparency in reporting exactly 'which' teaching approach schools adopted to achieve their standards of reading and writing.
The word 'synthetic phonics' for example, could not be found in any Ofsted reporting - because all reporting was written with an underlying assumption that schools taught according to the (then) 'National Literacy Strategy' rather than employ other methods such as 'synthetic phonics teaching' which was not recommended or recognised by the UK government at that time.
When I was headteacher of a primary school, for example, the Ofsted inspector would not write the words 'synthetic phonics' and, instead, accused the school of not having high enough standards because it was following 'a commercial programme' and "not following the National Strategies closely enough".
This was the opposite of the scenario in reality. I inherited the school in disarray and low standards having followed the 'National Strategies' and we were in the process of rapidly improving standards from applying the synthetic phonics teaching principles!
Of course, to this day, there is no public right to reply to any Ofsted inspection to put the record straight and/or to set the context in which one's school works!
So, to read an Ofsted report such as the one above (link provided) with clear explanations of the practice in outstanding schools - and with no hesitation to use the words 'systematic synthetic phonics' is an incredible achievement indeed.
This is very interesting - showing that we have come a long way since the days when I was challenging Ofsted for lack of transparency in reporting exactly 'which' teaching approach schools adopted to achieve their standards of reading and writing.
The word 'synthetic phonics' for example, could not be found in any Ofsted reporting - because all reporting was written with an underlying assumption that schools taught according to the (then) 'National Literacy Strategy' rather than employ other methods such as 'synthetic phonics teaching' which was not recommended or recognised by the UK government at that time.
When I was headteacher of a primary school, for example, the Ofsted inspector would not write the words 'synthetic phonics' and, instead, accused the school of not having high enough standards because it was following 'a commercial programme' and "not following the National Strategies closely enough".
This was the opposite of the scenario in reality. I inherited the school in disarray and low standards having followed the 'National Strategies' and we were in the process of rapidly improving standards from applying the synthetic phonics teaching principles!
Of course, to this day, there is no public right to reply to any Ofsted inspection to put the record straight and/or to set the context in which one's school works!
So, to read an Ofsted report such as the one above (link provided) with clear explanations of the practice in outstanding schools - and with no hesitation to use the words 'systematic synthetic phonics' is an incredible achievement indeed.